A scenic riverside ride along the Opawaho Heathcote River between Ashgrove Reserve at Ferniehurst Street and the estuary at Ferrymead Bridge.
Status: Open
Start
Ashgrove Reserve on Ferniehurst Street Cracroft.
Finish
Ferrymead Bridge, Ferrymead.
Description
The Opawaho Heathcote River route can be ridden in either direction. This description travels in the direction of the river to the estuary, which is from west to east.
Commence your journey at Ferniehurst Street and choose either side of the river, which is typical along much of the journey, and cycle to the east.
On the northern side of the river you can use Ashgrove Tce a residential road that is mostly very quiet with little traffic, or you can cycle on the south side of the river on the popular shared pathway.
After 2.2km you will cross busy Colombo Street. From here, for 700m to Malcolm Ave, both sides are via quiet residential streets, the preferred Hunter Tce on the south, or the almost as quiet Waimea Tce on the north.
From Malcolm Ave the preferred side on the west is the shared Donkey Track which after 300m brings you to Sloan Tce and shortly after to the preferred option of using the pedestrian bridge to cross over to the northern side of the river and use Waimea Tce - a quiet residential street, that changes to Eastern Tce, again a quiet street.
Keep following the Eastern Tce if you like or you can cross the pedestrian bridge over the river at Malcom Ave, its eastern end now, and follow Palatine Tce then Riverlaw Tce. Riverlaw Tce will take you past the Hanson Park Bridge, which is the preferred route into the park, following the popular shared pathway alongside the river to cross over Opawa Road to the preferred eastern sides of Clarendon Tce.
Follow this to the crossing of Radley Street where both sides of the river offer shared pathways all for 1km to the Gould Street/Bamford Street pedestrian bridge, where the northern side of the river becomes the recommended side to keep following.
The shared pathway becomes unsealed and tracks under the SH74 Tunnel Road. Under this bridge the pathway is subject to tidal flooding - if it isn't passable you can climb up the bank to cross over the SH74 Tunnel Road, however, this is a busy highway that needs careful attention.
Once past the bridge follow for 1.9km, the narrow-unsealed shared pathway - keep looking out for pedestrians on the path - as you enjoy a wilderness view meandering alongside the river to the Ferrymead Bridge.
Well done we hope you enjoyed the journey. The approximate distance depending on your curiosity and choices is 13.5km.